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Hierarchical porous structures and well-modulated interfacial interactions are essential for the performance of electrode materials. The energy storage performance can be promoted by regulating the diffusion behavior of the electrolyte and constructing a coupled interaction at heterogeneous interfaces. Herein, we have synthesized ultrathin NiO nanosheets anchored to nitrogen-doped hierarchical porous carbon (NiO/N-HPC) and applied it to construct aqueous potassium ion hybrid capacitors (APIHCs). The abundant and interconnected porous architecture promotes electrolyte penetration/diffusion and shortens the ion transport path, thereby accelerating storage reaction kinetics. The nitrogen-doped carbon support can achieve optimized metal oxides–carbon interaction and enhance the adsorption ability for the electrolyte ions, leading to earning higher storage capacity. Consequently, the prepared NiO/N-HPC exhibits a superior capacitance of 126.4 F g−1 at a current density of 0.5 A g−1, and the as-fabricated NiO/N-HPC//N-HPC APIHC achieves an ultra-high capacitance retention of 91.6% over 8000 cycles at a current density of 2 A g−1. Meanwhile, the APIHC device shows an excellent energy density of 21.95 W h kg−1 and a power density of 9000 W kg−1. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Low utilization of solar energy remains a challenge that limits photocatalytic efficiency. To address this issue, this work proposes a bionic solar photocatalytic reactor (BSPR) for efficient selective oxidation of aromatic alcohols. A biomimetic phototropic hydrogel is prepared by coupling chlorine‐doped polypyrrole (Cl‐PPy) and poly(N‐isopropyl acrylamide) (PNIPAm) to maximize light‐harvesting efficiency automatically, allowing the BSPR to maintain high catalytic levels throughout the day. Molecular dynamics simulations are used to unveil the understanding of the fast photoresponsive behavior of Cl‐PPy/PNIPAm from a molecular level, while COMSOL simulations are conducted to follow the macroscopically phototropic mechanism of BSPR. Attributing to the existence of PdS/S vacancies riched ZnIn2S4 nanocomposite in the top flower‐shaped hydrogel, the BSPR displays a special function for efficiently photocatalytic oxidation of aromatic alcohols under solar illumination (yield of 4‐methoxybenzaldehyde: 479.5 µmol g−1 h−1; selectivity: 68.8%). Two possible reaction pathways are identified as follows: photogenerated holes can attract aromatic alcohols directly and generate aromatic aldehydes; photoexcited electrons oxidize O2 to ·O2− can also react with the adsorbed aromatic alcohol. This study presents a promising paradigm that explores opportunities for enhanced utilization of light energy, offering a novel approach to maximize its efficiency in practical applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The practical application of Zn metal anodes is currently hindered by uncontrolled dendritic growth and water‐induced parasitic reactions that are closely related to the solvation structure and interfacial transport kinetics of Zn2+. Herein, a facile interface self‐gelation strategy is proposed to stabilize Zn anode by introducing ‐OH‐rich silica aerogel (HSA) on Zn anode surface. The unique interconnected network structure and strong hydrophilia of HSA made the aqueous electrolyte near Zn anode gel rapidly and spontaneously, resulting in the formation of a water‐poor gel interface layer. The interface layer can effectively accelerate the desolvation process and reduce water molecule activity near anode surface through hydrogen bonding interaction, thus achieving rapid Zn migration kinetics and alleviating side reactions. In addition, the well‐defined aerogel nanochannels can provide a fast Zn2+ migration path and homogenize Zn2+ flux, enabling rapid and uniform Zn deposition. As a result, the HSA‐modified Zn (HSA@Zn) anode exhibits excellent long‐term cycling stability (over 6000 h at 4 mA cm−2), and the feasibility for practical application of this HSA@Zn anode is further demonstrate in full cells. The aerogel‐driven interface self‐gelation strategy propose in this work provides new insights into the design of advanced Zn anode for aqueous zinc‐ion batteries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Creating bionic intelligent robotic systems that emulate human‐like skin perception presents a considerable scientific challenge. This study introduces a multifunctional bionic electronic skin (e‐skin) made from polyacrylic acid ionogel (PAIG), designed to detect human motion signals and transmit them to robotic systems for recognition and classification. The PAIG is synthesized using a suspension of liquid metal and graphene oxide nanosheets as initiators and cross‐linkers. The resulting PAIGs demonstrate excellent mechanical properties, resistance to freezing and drying, and self‐healing capabilities. Functionally, the PAIG effectively captures human motion signals through electromechanical sensing. Furthermore, a bionic intelligent sorting robot system is developed by integrating the PAIG‐based e‐skin with a robotic manipulator. This system leverages its ability to detect frictional electrical signals, enabling precise identification and sorting of materials. The innovations presented in this study hold significant potential for applications in artificial intelligence, rehabilitation training, and intelligent classification systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Solar-driven water evaporation is a promising solution for global water scarcity but is still facing challenges due to its substantial energy requirements. Here, a magnetic soft robotic bionic fish is developed by combining magnetic nanoparticles (Fe 3 O 4 ), poly(N-isopropylacrylamide), and carboxymethyl chitosan. This bionic fish can release liquid water through hydrophilic/hydrophobic phase transition and dramatically reduce energy consumption. The introduced Fe 3 O 4 nanoparticles endow the bionic fish with magnetic actuation capability, allowing for remote operation and recovery. Additionally, the magnetic actuation process accelerates the water absorption rate of the bionic fish as confirmed by the finite element simulations. The results demonstrate that bionic fish can effectively remove not only organic molecular dyes dissolved in water but also harmful microbes and insoluble microparticles from natural lakes. Moreover, the bionic fish maintains a good purification efficiency even after five recycling cycles. Furthermore, the bionic fish possesses other functions, such as salt purification and salt rejection. Finally, the mechanism of water purification is explained in conjunction with molecular dynamics calculations. This work provides a new approach for efficient solar-energy water purification by phase transition behavior in soft robotics., (© 2024 Wiley‐VCH GmbH.)

The growing interest in so-called interface coupling strategies arises from their potential to enhance the performance of active electrode materials. Nevertheless, designing a robust coupled interface in nanocomposites for stable electrochemical processes remains a challenge. In this study, an epitaxial growth strategy is proposed by synthesizing sulfide rhenium (ReS 2 ) on exfoliated black phosphorus (E-BP) nanosheets, creating an abundance of robust interfacial linkages. Through spectroscopic analysis using X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and X-ray absorption spectroscopy, the authors investigate the interfacial environment. The well-developed coupled interface and structural stability contribute to the impressive performance of the 3D-printed E-BP@ReS 2 -based micro-supercapacitor, achieving a specific capacitance of 47.3 mF cm -2 at 0.1 mA cm -2 and demonstrating excellent long-term cyclability (89.2% over 2000 cycles). Furthermore, density functional theory calculations unveil the positive impact of the strongly coupled interface in the E-BP@ReS 2 nanocomposite on the adsorption of H + ions, showcasing a significantly reduced adsorption energy of -2.17 eV. The strong coupling effect facilitates directional charge delocalization at the interface, enhancing the electrochemical performance of electrodes and resulting in the successful construction of advanced micro-supercapacitors., (© 2024 Wiley‐VCH GmbH.)

Competition from hydrogen/oxygen evolution reactions and low solubility of N 2 in aqueous systems limited the selectivity and activity on nitrogen fixation reaction. Herein, we design an aerobic-hydrophobic Janus structure by introducing fluorinated modification on porous carbon nanofibers embedded with partially carbonized iron heterojunctions (Fe 3 C/Fe@PCNF-F). The simulations prove that the Janus structure can keep the internal Fe 3 C/Fe@PCNF-F away from water infiltration and endow a N 2 molecular-concentrating effect, suppressing the competing reactions and overcoming the mass-transfer limitations to build a robust "quasi-solid-gas" state micro-domain around the catalyst surface. In this proof-of-concept system, the Fe 3 C/Fe@PCNF-F exhibits excellent electrocatalytic performance for nitrogen fixation (NH 3 yield rate up to 29.2 μg h -1  mg -1 cat. and Faraday efficiency (FE) up to 27.8 % in nitrogen reduction reaction; NO 3 - yield rate up to 15.7 μg h -1  mg -1 cat. and FE up to 3.4 % in nitrogen oxidation reaction)., (© 2023 The Authors. Angewandte Chemie International Edition published by Wiley-VCH GmbH.)